Apparatus for resurfacing skis

ABSTRACT

Means for receiving and holding a single ski in a fixed and given position and including a second means for receiving and holding a length of resurfacing material to be applied to the ski for lateral movement from a first position for registry over the ski to a second position in which it is turned over to receive a pressure sensitive contact adhesive, on its back side, and then to be returned to its first position for direct application onto the ski, with special features including an open frame for holding the resurfacing material, means of obtaining registry and special means for locating the binding screw holes.

United States Patent 11 1 ONeil et al.

APPARATUS FOR RESURFACING SKIS Inventors: Eugene J. QNeil, Detroit; Arthur J.

1 Ryan, Garden City, both of Mich.

Assignee: Mod Tops Inc., Detroit, Mich.

Filed: Mar. 27, 1972 Appl. No.: 238,412

[56] References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 3,642,269 2/1972 Ladd 269/45 Primary Examiner-Donald G. Kelly Assistant Examiner-Joseph T. Zatarga Att0rney-Dale A. Winnie 57 ABSTRACT Means for receiving and holding a single ski in a fixed and given position and including a second means for receiving and holding a length of resurfacing material to be applied to the ski for lateral movement from a first position for registry over the ski to a second position in which it is turned over to receive a pressure sensitive contact adhesive, on its back side, and then to be returned to its first position for direct application onto the ski, with special features including an open frame for holding the resurfacing material, means of obtaining registry and special means for locating the binding screw holes.

8 Claims,'8 Drawing Figures 1451 Nov. 27, 197-3 BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION Skiing has become a very popular winter sport and has required those who manufacture skis to improve both the quality and the appearance of their product to attract a greatershare of the market. This, in turn, has increased thecost of a pair of skis to a considerable extent and has made the asthetic appearance as well as the functional aspects of the skis of greater importance to purchasers.

' New skis, or new looking skis, in vivid colors and designs,have become almost a status symbol on the ski slopes. Not only do they usually represent the newest models but they also bespeak of their value by the care that is given them by their owner.

As a consequence, most skiers do their best to keep their skis from becoming scratched, rnarred and gouged in the course of use and in transporting them to and from the ski area. However, the sharp metal cutting edges provided on all skis, to makethem more maneuverable in crusted snow, invariably cause damage to the surfaces of ones skis, either in the normal course of falling, and having ones skis crossed, or in being run over by other skis, on tows and chair lifts, falling out of ski racks, etc.

Although some polishing and buffing may be done to remove minorscratches, it is a professional job to take care of deep scars andgouges, requiring a lot of time and effort, as well as equipment, which the normal skier does not have.

Some manufacturers and some of the larger professional ski shops will offer to resurface a pair of skis, but it is very expensive because it normally involves vacuum forming equipment of the type used to initially provide the finished upper surface of a pair of skis. Since a running design of some type is present on most I of the newer skis, it will be appreciated that obtaining a close registry with the side edges of the skis over a length of about 70 to 80 inches is very difficult to obtain.

Although materials have been. offered for do-ityourself enthusiasts to resurface their own skis, they are usually either in plain colors, or transparent, in which case the end product is not as attractive or the original scars and scratches are still visible, unless they have been carefully removed with the painstaking care which such work requires.

What is vitally needed is a relatively simple piece of equipment, easily adjusted to different size skis, and to accomodate covering materials of different designs, for resurfacing skis at a minimal expense.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION This invention relates to a relatively simple apparatus for resurfacing skis and which includes a pair of fixtures adapted to be fastened to a work bench surface with a first means to receive and hold a single ski to be resurthereto.

2 One of the first and second means, and preferably the second means holding the resurfacing material, is provided with means for lateral adjustment thereof to obtain relative registry of the resurfacingmaterial with re-.

spect to the ski, so that the asthetic design providedon the resurfacing material will be relatively aligned with the ski when it is affixed thereto.

And the means for holding the resurfacing material is so formed, as for example by apai'r ofparallel spaced side rails engaging just the side'edges of thecover material, that the resurfacing materialmay be removedfrom the holding means and be fixedly engaged to the ski when returned to the first position thereof in registry directly over the ski.

DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWING FIGURES FIG. 1 is a side elevational view of theski resurfacing apparatus of the present invention with a ski disposed imposition for the application of a resurfacing material FIG. 2 is a cross-sectional view showing one of the work bench fixtures with the cover material holding means opened up, as seen in the planeof line 2-2 in the first drawing figure, and with it also shown in a phantom position relatively over where the ski is normally disposed.

FIG. 3 is a top plan view of the same fixture,as seen in the plane of line 3-3 in the previousdrawihg figure and with both the ski and the resurfacing material shown in phantom outline.

FIG. 4 is an enlarged cross-sectional view Showingan end view ofone of the toggleclampsides, asseen in the plane of line 44 inthe first drawing figure.

FIG. 5 is a cross-sectional view of thetog 'gleelamp slide as seen in the plane of line 5-5 in the immediately preceeding drawing figure.

FIG. 6 is an enlarged fragmentary viewnear the front end'of a ski showing the relative relation of the resurfacing material in its holding frameprior to beihg applied to the ski.

FIG. 7 is a cross-sectional vie'wof theskiarid holdhfg frame, with the resurfacing material, as see'nih the plane of line 77 in the immediatelypreeeediiig drifw ing figure.

FIG. 8 is an enlarged fragmentary viewof a sec'tidh of a resurfaced ski showing a bindirig screw hole rid means of locating the same through the cover-material after it is affixed to the'ski.

DESCRIPTION OF TH ILLUSTRATED EMBODIMENT A single ski 10 is shown laid outin a pairof fiktures moved together and apart as the screw is turned. These shoes are essentially square blocks which slide back and forth on the base plate 18and they are formedwith stepped shoulders 34 and 36, respectively, on which a ski rests and is relatively located and centered therebetween.

A handle 38 on the end of the screw 24 enables it to be turned to open the shoes enough to receive a ski, on

their stepped shoulders, and then to be closed back towith spacers 46 and 48 across their ends and spacers 50 and 52 therebetween. The rails face each other and have their upright flanges spaced apart a distance which is comparable, and just a few thousands undersize, to the width of the resurfacing material to be used. As a consequence, the resurfacing material, which is provided in long strips, may be fitted between the rails to be frictionally held there.

Although not specifically shown, it will be appreciated that an extruded aluminum rail, of the type suggested, may be formed with a relatively unfinished inner wall surface so that it includes longitudinally extending serrations which enhance the frictional engagement of the edges of the thin walled resurfacing material that is used.

Also on the spaced rails 42 and 44, near opposite ends, are a pair of slides 54, grooved to fit the rails as at 56, and on which are provided a pair of toggle clamps 58 and 60. The slides are formed to provide a slight shelf 62, on which the extreme ends of the resurfacing material 63 are received, and the toggle clamps include an adjustable screw 64 by means of which a light retaining pressure may be applied to the material ends to hold them in place.

Normally the toggle clamp slides are kept in fixed or given positions, for standard length strips of the resurfacing material. But they are movable to be closer together or father apart, for shorter or longer lengths, as circumstances warrant.

The open frame 16 is made pivotal relative to the ski holding fixture 12 by means of a pivotal arm 64, on a pivot pin connection 66 to the base post 40, and which has a journal block 68 on its end that supports a screw 70. The screw is, in turn, threaded through mounting blocks 72 and 74 on the intermediate rail spacers 50 and 52, and has a handle 76 at its outer end, so that the open frame, as a whole, may be moved relatively towards and away from the pivot axis and, consequently, be laterally positioned when it is swung over and disposed relatively above a ski to be resurfaced.

To assure that the resurfacing material in the open frame 16 is not immediately laid on a ski, for reasons that will be explained later, a foot-stop 78 is provided on each of the intermediate spacers 50 and 52, as best shown in FIG. 3. It is merely a long bolt threaded into the spacer and screw mounting blocks so that it is adjustable to provide the desired spacing, as indicated in its phantom position.

FIGS. 6 and 7 show an enlarged side and crosssectional view of the ski with the frame rails 42 and 44 holding the resurfacing material disposed in position over the ski, for either laterally adjusting the frame to center the design in the cover material relative to the ski, or just prior to adhering the cover material to the ski. in the final step of the resurfacing operation. As

can be seen, the open frame 16 has the frame rails curved to complement the uplifted end of a ski and the rails and cover material are spaced and of a width to overlap the side edges of a ski being resurfaced.

The resurfacing material is preferably a polycarbonate plastic which is either clear or translucent and about 0.020 of an inch thick. The design used and the background color is silk screened on the back of the resurfacing material and is then covered with a coat of white, to enhance and brighten the design and background colors. An opaque coat, usually a deep blue and a white mixture, is then applied to prevent any seethrough effect as regards the original colors and design on the skis being resurfaced.

Since it it extremely hard to lay out and silk screen a running design of over inches, which is the standard length of a resurfacing strip used, a double design is laid out on material that is 48 inches wide and two or four times the required width. Then the material is cut in strips which fit the frame rails and their ends are butted and temporarily taped together, for ease in handling.

The silk screened design and background color will be appreciated as being 0.020 of an inch deep, which is the thickness of the resurfacing material, under the cover surface so that they are well portected against scratches and the like. And, all such scratches can be rubbed or buffed out usually without disturbing the new design or color background.

A flow brush is used to apply a thin coat of pressure sensitive contact cement to the underside of the resurfacing material in the open frame 16, after it has been relatively centered with respect to the ski that will receive it and the frame has been opened up again. Then the frame is brought down over the ski into its footstopped position which disposed the resurfacing'material in spaced relation about a quarter of an inch over the ski, as generally shown in FIGS. 6 and 7.

Since the side rail frame 16 is open between the spaced rails, throughout substantially its full length, the cover material is readily accessible and can be wiped down onto the ski, with a soft cloth or a felt roller, and at the same time be released from the retaining side rails. The initial pressure is applied down the center of the cover strips forcing any excess adhesive (which will be minimal, if any, due to the flow brush application) out to the side. since the frame rails 42 and 44 are spaced and held relatively apart from the ski, this will in turn assure that the outer edges of the cover material are not set or sealed until the frame is lifted off and pivoted back away from the ski.

Once the frame 18 is removed, light pressure is applied along each side edge of the cover material immediately over the side edges of the ski. Then the whole ski is run through a rubber roll wringer to assure a uniform pressure throughout the full length of the ski and a final bonding pressure in fixing the resurfacing material securely to the ski.

A razor blade knife is used to trim the edges of the cover material to the exact width of the ski and a belt sander is used to bevel and smooth the edges to exactly fit the resurfaced ski.

One important step, that preceeds the application of the cover material to the ski, is the locating of the holes for the ski boot bindings. As will be appreciated, the bindings must be removed before the resurfacing material is applied and after it is applied the screw holes will be covered up and normally would be very hard to relocate.

The relatively simple and novel means used to relocate the binding holes is shown in FIG. 8 to include simply placing a drop of Menthyl Ethyl Ketone a product of 3M), or a like heavy duty paint cleaner solution 80, in each of the binding screw holes 82 before the resurfacing material 63 is applied to the ski. As a conse quence, when this has been done, the opaque backing, white cover coat and background color will be sufficiently disturbed, or eaten away, immediately over each screw hole, as at 84, tomake its exact location known.

From the forgoing it can be seen that a relatively simple, and inexpensive piece of equipment, including essentially only two hinged fixtures and an open frame to hold the resurfacing material, may be provided any professional ski shop, and that with the wide selection of cover material designs that can be provided, and only a small amount of training to essentially unskilled help, a large and significant number of 'skis can be resurfaced at a profitable figure to those who do the work and a significant savings to those who have the work done for them. It will also be appreciated that although the resurfacing material is impregnable to scuffing or damage along its side edges, in normal use, that it is possible to professionally strip off theresurfacing job, after a season or two, and to again resurface it with another new design and background color. Accordingly, except for serious damage, a pair of skis may maintain their new appearance, and be changed in appearance, many times over.

We claim:

1. Apparatus for resurfacing skis, and comprising; a pair of fixtures adapted to be fastened toa work bench surface and including a first means for receiving and holding a ski to be resurfaced in a relatively fixed and given position and a second means for receiving and holding a length of resurfacing material for lateral movement from a first position in relative parallel spaced relation over said ski to a second position in relatively parallel'spaced relation apart therefrom, one of said first and second means including means for lateral adjustment thereof for the relative registry of said resurfacing material with respect to said ski, said second means being adapted to turn said resurfacing material bottom-side up in the second position thereof for the application of a pressure sensitive contact adhesive thereto, and said second means including relatively unobstructed access therethrough throughout essentially the full length thereof for the removal of said resurfacing material therefrom and the direct application thereof onto said ski in the first position thereof relatively over said ski.

2. The ski resurfacing apparatus of claim 1, said first means including a pair of ski clamping shoes adapted to receive the side edges'of a ski therebetween and including screw means in threaded engagement therewith for simultaneous and like movement thereof in relatively opposite directions apart and together for the entrapment and holding of a ski therebetween.

3. The ski resurfacing apparatus; of claim 1, said sec- 0nd means including a pivotal connection in relatively fixed relation to said first means for pivotally hinged movement of said second means relative to said first means and for maintaining the relative registry therebetween.

4. The ski resurfacing apparatus of claim 3, said second means including screw threaded means for the relative lateral adjustment thereof with respect. to said first means in the registry of resurfacing material carried thereby relative to a ski to be resurfaced.

5. The ski resurfacing apparatus of claim 2, said second means including parallel spaced frame railsfor engaging and holding the side edges of a length of resurfacing material therebetween and providing the unobstructed access therebetween and through for direct application of said material to a ski.-

6. Apparatus for resurfacing skis and comprising; a pair of fixtures adapted to be fastened to a work bench surface and to be relatively spaced apart to receive and support a ski therebetween, relatively adjustable means provided on said fixtures for clamping and holding a ski in a given position with respect thereto and with the upper surface of the ski unobstructively disposed for resurfacing throughout the full length thereof, an open frame relatively longer than a ski to be resurfaced and including parallel spaced side rails extending substantially the full length thereof and adapted to receive and hold therebetween the material to be used in resurfacing a ski, pivotal means for hingedly connecting said open frame to said spaced fixtures for movement from a first position relatively over said ski clamping and holding means to a second position laterally removed and apart therefrom and with the bottom side of resurfacing material in said frame exposed to receive a pressure sensitive contact adhesive coating, and screw threaded means provided on said frame for the relative lateral adjustment of respectively opposite ends of said frame with respect to the pivotal means hingedly connecting said frame to said fixtures for the registry of the resurfacing material in said frame with respect to a ski prior to being affixed thereto.

7. The apparatus for resurfacing skis of claim 6, said open frame including means near the ends thereof for clamping and subsequently releasing the endsof resurfacing material carried by said frame, and adjustable stops carried by one of said fixture and frame members for engagement with the other thereof and for precluding unintentional direct and premature engagement between resurfacing material carried by said frame and a ski prior to registry therebetween.

8. The resurfacing apparatus of claim 7, said screw threaded means serving in part as the pivotal means connecting said frame to said fixtures. 

1. Apparatus for resurfacing skis, and Comprising; a pair of fixtures adapted to be fastened to a work bench surface and including a first means for receiving and holding a ski to be resurfaced in a relatively fixed and given position and a second means for receiving and holding a length of resurfacing material for lateral movement from a first position in relative parallel spaced relation over said ski to a second position in relatively parallel spaced relation apart therefrom, one of said first and second means including means for lateral adjustment thereof for the relative registry of said resurfacing material with respect to said ski, said second means being adapted to turn said resurfacing material bottom-side up in the second position thereof for the application of a pressure sensitive contact adhesive thereto, and said second means including relatively unobstructed access therethrough throughout essentially the full length thereof for the removal of said resurfacing material therefrom and the direct application thereof onto said ski in the first position thereof relatively over said ski.
 2. The ski resurfacing apparatus of claim 1, said first means including a pair of ski clamping shoes adapted to receive the side edges of a ski therebetween and including screw means in threaded engagement therewith for simultaneous and like movement thereof in relatively opposite directions apart and together for the entrapment and holding of a ski therebetween.
 3. The ski resurfacing apparatus of claim 1, said second means including a pivotal connection in relatively fixed relation to said first means for pivotally hinged movement of said second means relative to said first means and for maintaining the relative registry therebetween.
 4. The ski resurfacing apparatus of claim 3, said second means including screw threaded means for the relative lateral adjustment thereof with respect to said first means in the registry of resurfacing material carried thereby relative to a ski to be resurfaced.
 5. The ski resurfacing apparatus of claim 2, said second means including parallel spaced frame rails for engaging and holding the side edges of a length of resurfacing material therebetween and providing the unobstructed access therebetween and through for direct application of said material to a ski.
 6. Apparatus for resurfacing skis and comprising; a pair of fixtures adapted to be fastened to a work bench surface and to be relatively spaced apart to receive and support a ski therebetween, relatively adjustable means provided on said fixtures for clamping and holding a ski in a given position with respect thereto and with the upper surface of the ski unobstructively disposed for resurfacing throughout the full length thereof, an open frame relatively longer than a ski to be resurfaced and including parallel spaced side rails extending substantially the full length thereof and adapted to receive and hold therebetween the material to be used in resurfacing a ski, pivotal means for hingedly connecting said open frame to said spaced fixtures for movement from a first position relatively over said ski clamping and holding means to a second position laterally removed and apart therefrom and with the bottom side of resurfacing material in said frame exposed to receive a pressure sensitive contact adhesive coating, and screw threaded means provided on said frame for the relative lateral adjustment of respectively opposite ends of said frame with respect to the pivotal means hingedly connecting said frame to said fixtures for the registry of the resurfacing material in said frame with respect to a ski prior to being affixed thereto.
 7. The apparatus for resurfacing skis of claim 6, said open frame including means near the ends thereof for clamping and subsequently releasing the ends of resurfacing material carried by said frame, and adjustable stops carried by one of said fixture and frame members for engagement with the other thereof and for precluding unintentional direct and premature engagement betWeen resurfacing material carried by said frame and a ski prior to registry therebetween.
 8. The resurfacing apparatus of claim 7, said screw threaded means serving in part as the pivotal means connecting said frame to said fixtures. 